Episode Guide
On Exile Big Plans’ training day, the participants were warned not to put too much pressure on themselves. The sponsors were happy with the results, but Laynah felt like she was going to fall down the stairs. She decided to stay and review the results later. The score is 3 out of 5. ..
Despite the fact that we’re not in Australia, we still have to suffer through the heat. Our characters are forced to stay inside all day and then head out into the sun for a few hours before returning home. It’s a tough slog, but they make the most of it by spending time with their friends and family.
Netflix’s latest tween drama, “The Crown,” is mixing surfing action with a simple, but enjoyable character-driven ensemble. The show follows the story of two young people, John and Elizabeth, as they navigate their way through high school and the coming years.
Summer is a young woman who has an estranged relationship with her mother Margot. She is constantly running into trouble with her mother, who is busy at work and can’t always keep up with her daughter’s antics. The relationship between the two of them is very strained.
Margot’s big work gig is coming up, and she’s excited to go. However, she quickly realizes that she won’t be able to enjoy her time with her aunt while she’s away. Margot is unhappy with this arrangement, and decides to stay in the United States.
When Summer arrives in the small town of Shorehaven, she is taken in by the Gibson family. Of course, Summer plots her escape and attempts to make it back to the airport and, inevitably, New York. ..
Summer quickly comes to enjoy staying in Shorehaven, partly thanks to forming a bond with kindred spirit Ari Gibson.
After the first two episodes, “Stranger Things” expands its focus beyond the character of Summer and introduces a whole ensemble of new characters with their own problems. ..
Ari is a complex and interesting character, one that is easy to like and understand. He is haunted by the ghosts of his past, specifically from a gnarly accident that occurred in the water a year before. Ari is an accomplished surfer and has faced many challenges in his life, including the gnarly accident that occurred a year earlier.
Summer is in a difficult position when she learns about Ari’s anxiety disorder. She loves Ari and wants to help him, but she also has her own loyalty to him and the family. She must decide which is more important: helping Ari or telling his parents what’s happening.
Adding to the drama is Ari’s rival/friend Marlon who has quite the journey across the 10 episodes, beginning as a big enemy for Ari only to soften as we learn more about his backstory. There are also several girls here that help balance out the battle of the sexes, with Bodhi and Poppy each sporting their own problems and relationship woes.
The series is set up around relationships and angst, and it’s no surprise that a good portion of it is devoted to these topics.
Summer can be a tough time. For the average person, it’s full of misunderstandings, overheard confessions and awkward missed signals. It’s all pretty formulaic stuff and Surviving Summer never really deviates from the tried and tested path. ..
I’m not normally one to give a show a free pass, but given that it’s clearly designed for a younger audience, that can be forgiven somewhat. ..
The show does a good job of presenting a variety of themes and ideas, some of which deserve mention. I’ve already brought up anxiety, but alongside that are topics like peer pressure, family relationships, and angst. These topics are all important and deserve to be discussed in more depth. ..
The show is smart enough to keep things simple and to let the story tell itself. It’s a credit to the show that it never tries to oversell you on any of its ideas. The story is well-told and it works well overall.
With well-written characters, plenty of surfing action and a compelling story for most of the characters, Surviving Summer is a leisurely watch but an enjoyable one all the same. It is formulaic and cliched at times, but it’s rarely dull and never outstays its welcome.
Netflix has billed this as a tween drama and you know what? That demographic should find plenty here to make waves. For everyone else, this one’s perhaps a tad too simple to tantalize the taste buds.
Summer is coming to an end, and with it comes the inevitable heat wave. Here are some tips to help you survive the heat. ..
